Friday, November 27, 2015

Here in South Florida people will gather to mourn and recall the many live of loved ones lost to the dreaded pandemic that took too many lives- too soon.

As organizer of this exhibition I would like to thank all the artists for their extraordinary show of support. The local arts community has donated in record numbers for the auction that will help Compass continue with the vital role they play in our community" -Rolando Chang Barrero, curator

The work donated by the following artists to Compass Community Center will be available for purchase and auction from

On December 1st, the Compass Community Center, located at 201 North Dixie Hwy., Lake Worth, Florida, will be open at 6:30-8 PM to a musical performance by VOICES of Pride and a solemn echo of the the traditional Calling of the Names and the Names Project Quilt Panel Induction of community members we have lost. All are invited to join.

Over 40 works of art donated by local artists and a selection of painting by Brad Jernigan which were donated by the City of Boynton Beach will be shrouded during the evening. the unveiling will take place on December 2, 2015, at a reception to be held from 7- 9 PM.

"Special thank you to our sponsors for this event: Gilead, New Beginnings Recovery Center, Viiv Healthcare, State of Florida Department of Health, Penny’s at the Duke, Voices of PRide, Rolando Chang Barrero Art Studio, Palm Beach Opera." -Compass Community Center

DECEMBER 2, 2015 7-9 PMUnveil: The Stigma, The Truth, The Art

Exhibition Reception and Names Project Quilt

Wednesday, December 2nd

Time: 7-9pm

Overview of the event: Unveiling of Artwork and Opening Ceremony for The Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Showcasing artwork that displays emotionally charged, personal perspectives from moments in the public history of HIV/AIDS. Donated artwork will be available for silent auction and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Compass.

There will be performances by Voices of Pride. 6:30 - 8:00 pmTheme:Day With(out) Art - Call to Action for community artist, galleries, and museums. Overview of the event: All artwork will be covered with black cloths. Voices of Pride musical performance, Candlelight Vigil, Calling of the Names , and Quilt Panel Induction of community members that we have lost.

Overview of the event: Unveiling of Art and Opening Ceremony for The Quilt Display . Showcasing artwork that displays emotionally charged, personal perspectives from moments in the public history of HIV/AIDS. Artwork will be donated and auctioned off. Performance by Palm Beach Opera.

“We want to raise awareness of the continuing pandemic that is now largely being disregarded because of current treatments which are mistakenly perceived as cures,” Barrero said. “Of all my friends that I came out with in the early ’80s, less than a handful are alive today." - Rolando Chang Barrero

"It was an age of exploration, the '70s, in our lives and in our art. Idols lay shattered in the wake of Vietnam and Watergate, and flowers bloomed in the rubble. In our innocence, sex seemed like a gift without price, and maybe it was, for a time. Inevitably, artists, whose job it is to “make it new,” drank deep of those pleasures. And in the '80s, when the plague arrived, artists swelled the ranks of the doomed."

Compass Community Center is currently accepting submissions of artwork from local artists for a curated group exhibition to commemorate World AIDS Day from December 1st through December 11th. We invite visual artists in diverse mediums (painting, drawing, printing, photography, murals, collage and more) to donate artwork related to, or inspired by, the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The work will be auctioned at our opening exhibit of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt on December 2, 2015. We are accepting work that communicates a clear message on the theme. The event will showcase the work of local artists, as well as, support HIV/AIDS education and prevention efforts in the local community.

Art has been an effective mechanism to inspire deep and lasting social change. Our goal is to elicit new actions, provoke new dialogue, and catalyze new ideas that facilitate social change as it relates to HIV/AIDS. We look forward to each invited artist submitting a piece that will reflect the ability of art to promote respect, love, and change in the battle against HIV/AIDS, as well as celebrate the talent of all contributing artists.The intention of this event is to:

Commemorate the loss of artists and arts professionals Create greater awareness about the spread of HIV/AIDS Publicize the needs of people with HIV/AIDS

Event Details:

On December 1st Compass will host Day With(out) Art (more information about Day With(out) Art below) in which all pieces in the exhibit will be shrouded in black fabric. On December 2nd we will celebrate with the Unveiling of Art and Artist Reception for NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. We will hold an auction of donated pieces, enjoy a live performance by Palm Beach Opera, and a wine reception. Selected artists will be provided with a 6 foot table to display/sell their artwork. Artists will provide their own displays (i.e. easels) and tablecloths.

An International Day of Action and Mourning in response to the AIDS Crisis

In 1989, in response to the worsening AIDS crisis and coinciding with the World Health Organization’s second annual World AIDS Day on December 1, Visual AIDS organized the first Day Without Art. A Visual AIDS committee of art workers (curators, writers, and art professionals) sent out a call for “mourning and action in response to the AIDS crisis” that would celebrate the lives and achievements of lost colleagues and friends; encourage caring for all people with AIDS; educating diverse publics about HIV infection; and finding a cure. More than 800 arts organizations, museums and galleries throughout the U.S. participated by shrouding artworks and replacing them with information about HIV and safer sex, locking their doors or dimming their lights, and producing exhibitions, programs, readings, memorials, rituals, and performances. Visual AIDS coordinated this network mega­event by producing a poster and handling promotion and press relations

Important Dates:

November 24th: Submissions and Application Form Due

December 1st: Day With(out) Art/World AIDS Day: All artwork is shrouded in black cloth to represent the loss the art world has experienced due to HIV/AIDS

December 2nd: Artist reception, unveiling of art, and auction

December 2nd through December 11: NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and Exhibition on display

Each year, Compass Community Center hosts the largest display of rotating panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt in honor of World AIDS Day in South Florida. The AIDS Memorial Quilt is the largest folk art exhibit in the world. This year, we invite you to join us in honoring World AIDS Day during our two week celebration beginning December 1st, with A Day Without Art, the International Day of Mourning and Action in response to the AIDS crisis. Arts organizations, museums, and galleries participate in this international movement by shrouding pieces of art and replacing them with information about HIV prevention and local resources. For more information about this campaign and the origins of Day With(out) Art, please visit www.visuala ids.org.

About Visual AIDS:

FOUNDED IN 1988, VISUAL AIDS IS THE ONLY ARTS ORGANIZATION FULLY COMMITTED TO RAISING AIDS AWARENESS AND CREATING DIALOGUE AROUND HIV ISSUES TODAY, BY PRODUCING AND PRESENTING VISUAL ART PROJECTS, EXHIBITIONS, PUBLIC FORUMS AND PUBLICATIONS - WHILE ASSISTING ARTISTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING AND HONORING THE WORK OF ARTISTS WITH HIV/AIDS AND THE ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AIDS MOVEMENT.

World AIDS Day serves as a platform to increase awareness of the AIDS pandemic and to inspire positive action through education, testing, and standing in solidarity with those affected by the virus. HIV/AIDS has had a major impact locally and globally:

35 Million people worldwide are currently living with HIV/AIDS

Over 1.2 Million people in the U .S. are living with HIV; almost 1 in 8 are unaware of their infection

8,197 people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Palm Beach County

5,897 newly diagnosed HIV infections in Florida in 2014

How to get involved:

Become a sponsor

Donate a piece of art to be displayed at Compass from Dec. l-Dec.11

Cover or remove your artwork and replace it with information about HIV prevention and local resources Compass will provide material to cover your art and/or images and information to display.

Attend one, or more, of our events held at Compass from Dec. I - Dec.

11. See attached calendar.

We look forward to collaborating with local artists, arts organizations, museums, galleries, art enthusiasts, and our community to commemorate World AIDS Day like never before. Thank you for your support in the fight against HIV/AIDS in our local and global community.